Vengeance Read online

CHAPTER 6

  Perhaps it was because of her mother’s fears, or perhaps her mind created fears of her own, but either way, Katrina had always had a fear of waking up surrounded by attackers. Sometimes they were rapists, sometimes burglars, sometimes soldiers. When she was a child she used to tie a little bell around her door knob to warn her, and as she grew older she realized what a futile gesture it really was; by the time the bell woke her, it would already be too late. Then she began supplementing the bell with a knife from the kitchen, a knife she would stealthily take from the kitchen each night, replacing it each morning with her mother none the wiser. Now, she believed she would no longer need the bell or the knife.

  She had another dream that night, there in the temple, hiding from the raging masses outside. It began like many of her attack dreams, but this time it was different. She was watching herself, asleep, in her room. As she slept, her little bell began to rattle, and the doorknob turned. She felt panic welling inside her, and in her dream, sleeping Katrina awoke. She looked toward the door as it slowly began to open. She tried to scream but was unable. Instead, she looked over to her closet and saw her closet door opening, too. She remained perfectly still, her fear subsiding as she saw Golem emerge from her closet. This Golem was different. He was the size of an ordinary human, a very attractive man, with dark hair and eyes, dark skin, and dressed in the uniform of some kind of soldier. He looked at her in bed and smiled, raising his finger to his lips as if to say shush, moja droga, then he turned to face the door. As the attackers tip toed into her room, Golem was upon them, suddenly armed with two long blades. As she covered her ears to stifle the sounds of their screams, she saw blood flying everywhere, and within seconds, they were all dead. Before she removed her hands from her ears, her Golem was smiling at her again, looking positively radiant, color high in his cheeks, as if he just completed a sumptuous feast. As he disappeared back into her closet she looked around her room, finding it clean, no signs of blood or violence. The attackers were gone.

  Her dreams usually launched her awake with her heart pounding and her hyper vigilant nerves on edge, but after this dream she awoke with a warm feeling of security. She remained awake, staring at the ceiling, letting her mind wander.

  She understood her mother’s fears about Golem. The police will begin to wonder what happened to their officers, and they will ask questions. Eventually they will knock on the door of the temple. Golem could not take them all, could he? She again reflected upon this possibility. Was there any way to kill Golem?

  Katrina and her mother remained in the temple again that night, sleeping in the relative safety of the basement. On several occasions, Jews from town would come seeking shelter, and Rabbi Cejtlin let them all inside. By nightfall there were eighteen people sleeping in the basement. Katrina looked toward the small door leading into the sub-basement, where she believed her Golem slept. She wanted to tell everyone gathered not to worry, that they were safe, protected, but she knew that such a secret could never be kept. Those that did witness him agreed that it must remain their secret.

  Later that evening, while the people were gathered downstairs trying to relax, Katrina approached Rabbi Cejtlin, who was sitting in his study.

  “Rabbi, when the police came here, what were they looking for?”

  The Rabbi looked over at her, quiet for a moment. Then he turned away from her and looked down at the earth at his feet.

  “Someone. They were looking for someone, but they did not say who. They must have thought I had given sanctuary to someone, apparently a Jew.”

  Sanctuary. That was the word flowing through her mind right before the knocking came at the door.

  Katrina waited for the rest of his answer but none came. Then, the Rabbi turned to her and winked. Katrina smiled. The Rabbi smiled back to her, then looked back down at the ground. He seemed uneasy; it was something Katrina had never before seen on his face.

  “Katrina, I feel a little bit like Moses when he was given the Ten Commandments. Here before me is actual proof of God’s power, proof that He is watching. I want to take this proof and climb a mountain and scream down at everyone to behold His power, but unlike Moses carrying the Ten Commandments, I do not believe God wants his Golem to be held under the light of day for all to see.”

  Katrina listened to him, and frowned.

  “Rabbi, how are you so sure Golem was made by God?”

  The Rabbi turned to her again, one eyebrow raised.

  “What else could bring a mound of dirt to life?”

  It was Katrina’s turn to look down at her feet in the dirt. There was no arguing with the Rabbi. She was not sure she believed he was right, but did not have the energy for such a debate. Thankfully, the Rabbi let the question rot on the vine.

  “Katrina, God can be angry, and God can be vengeful, but He made a promise to us, that we are His chosen people. He has let us suffer, we have been enslaved, slaughtered, murdered, exterminated, but we are still here. Many have lost faith after their suffering. But sometimes, when the world is on the brink of madness, God reminds us He is watching. Look outside, my dear. It is that time again. He is reminding us that He is here.”

  Katrina felt a chill travel up her spine as she watched the Rabbi scraping at the earth with one foot. She thought of his words: what else could bring a mound of dirt to life?

  Eventually, Katrina excused herself and found her mother sleeping fitfully in the corner of the basement. She joined her mother and tried to get comfortable. Sleep came much more quickly than it had in a long time.